There are few things in life that feel more meaningful than finding a place where you are welcomed, known, and valued. At First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista (FUMCCV), the table is set and everyone is invited in.
With over 100 churches in Chula Vista, there are a good number of places you can go to find community. The big yellow church on H street, though, the one you’ve likely passed countless times driving to work, school, or the 805 freeway, is one that has been serving our community for more than 100 years. With roots that have grown step-in-step with the history and growth of Chula Vista itself, the FUMCCV community carries with it a refreshingly modern and forward thinking energy focused on the true teachings of Jesus — teachings of inclusion, grace, and service to others.
Brian Parcel, the Head Pastor of FUMCCV for 17 years, says that one of the most beautiful things about the FUMCCV congregation is their dedication to serving others. “Our church is known in this community as a church who serves people in need,” he says. “We are also growing. We’re growing younger. We’re growing more diverse. It shows that older folks are willing to welcome younger folks, and it shows that there’s something meaningful about what we are doing that younger generations are finding purpose in.”
In his time as pastor of the church, he shares that he is proud of the ways that the congregation's understanding of Christianity has continued to transform. “Our congregation has become more free to serve a broader variety of people. Our Christianity has grown in such a way that we understand a widening of God’s love, as opposed to a kind of Christianity that turns inward and thinks primarily about oneself. I am proud of that.”
A Place Where Everyone is Welcome.
Each week, FUMCCV holds traditional worship services and modern worship services, alongside children’s activities, small group gatherings for all ages and stages of life, and opportunities to get involved in music, leadership, and ministry. The wide variety of ways to be involved means that there truly is a flavor of connection for every kind of preference and every kind of person.
For young children, there is weekly programming aimed at providing a supportive environment for them to learn who God is, what God’s values are, and be raised amidst those values.
Pre-teens and teenagers also engage in weekly programming and have the opportunity to connect deeply with mentors and other teens during camps, mission trips, and service to the community. At this age, it goes beyond simply learning about God, and becomes about deciding: What are the values of God that I want to incorporate into my life?Then putting them to practice.
The church also has an internship collaboration with San Diego State University, meaning that college students are behind the scenes supporting music ministries, children’s ministries, social media, missions, and tech. Family programming brings all of it together in a supportive environment that fosters the values of God through every generation. Whether you are young, old, married, single, knowledgeable about faith, just beginning, or have given up on your faith in the past but interested in returning to a place that truly “gets it,” there is a spot for you.
Beyond ways to get involved for every age group, the congregation at FUMCCV is one centered on welcoming those traditionally excluded from church communities. If you are someone who has been disenfranchised from churches, lost your trust in faith institutions, have questions, or simply believe in a Christianity that believes ALL people are welcome to receive God's grace, this is the kind of congregation for you.
Showing Gratitude by Serving Others
A core tenet of the Methodist tradition is service to others — something the congregation at FUMCCV has taken to heart. From supporting the local Chula Vista community through food drives, meal delivery, supply drives for local nonprofits, hosting a mobile shelter each year, and meaningful cross-border community engagement and support, there is no shortage of ways this community gives back.
Beyond immediate neighborhoods, the congregation at FUMCCV also supports work around the globe. From providing heat to rural churches in ___ to (insert tanzania mission), their impact spreads beyond borders, to all corners of the world.
In that spirit of service, each year, a group of members from the church travel down to the rural areas of Ensenada Mexico and serve families in need by building a home alongside them, offering the stability of a stable roof over their head and ground under their feet as they raise their family and build their future, a luxury many simply don’t have access to, yet we often take for granted.
Methodist Roots
The Methodist denomination was started in the 18th century in England by brothers John and Charles Wesley. The identity of the religion is built on the tenets that 1. God’s grace is free for all people, and 2. That faith cannot be separated from action, hence the service focus of the FUMCCV community.
In the early days of the religious movement, the founders would ask two simple questions—questions that the FUMCCV community continues to ask themselves today: “How is it with your Soul?” and “To whom have you shown grace this week?” These questions invite and encourage church members again and again to check in with their own faith journey, to look outward to the world, and take action to improve the lives of others.
Sound Like You? Welcome Home.
If your faith is something you’ve been grappling with, hoping for a community that truly lives into the spirit of grace and service, FUMCCV would like you to know: welcome home. A community is waiting for you, ready to welcome you with open arms, and challenge you with the important questions: How is it with your soul? And to whom have you shown grace this week?
If you're someone who [...] believes in a Christianity where ALL people are welcome to receive God's grace, this is the kind of congregation for you.